The Next Advancement in Corn Yield?

A farmer asked this question on Crop Talk:

"What's the next step in taking my corn yields up? Currently have about 80acres that are all VH in P&K due to manure history. Have been yielding in the 200-220 on normal years. What is the next step in increasing yields? I Have high fertility, try to push the population with the right hybrids, using a fungicide/insecticide at VT. I would just like to know what everyone is doing to get to the next yield level. Seems like there is 100's of products that all give 5-7bu increases. Would like to try some different things on part of the farm this year. Long time reader and finally first post, located in eastern Iowa."

My reply:  "From my travels the past few years I would say the answer is 5 gallons of calcium nitrate applied with 5 gallons of structured water mixed with the 28 and sulfur. It is the next big advancement in corn yields. The U trough uses a very homogeneous, complete 17-9-7 on the other side of the row of 100-150 pounds of dry material. This all creates a huge burst of energy for the emerging corn, makes corn on corn look like corn on beans.


I am trying to apply calcium nitrate to my wheat right now. The yield trials showed 19 bu advantage over a bunch of farms and trials just putting the calcium and nitrate in with the 28 on corn. I called it 20 bushel eyeball in what I saw compared to the rows beside it that did not get that treatment. It's one small step in a bunch of steps to increase corn yields."

I've talked about the power of the Ca, S and Nitrate ions here.  When we address these nutrients in such a concentrated blend near the corn plant, great things happen.  I have also been reporting what I've see regarding that the past two years.

We can take our corn crop to the next level.  We don't have to be in this 3 year downhill trend like soybeans.

What did Francis have that no one else did?  He had a soil pit, rhizosphere, corn roots and corn yields like no one else I've ever seen.  We can do better.

Ed